The Use of the City Directory in Genealogical or Family History Research
Are city directories a part of your genealogy toolbox?
It was bound to happen.
You lot exhausted the more traditional genealogy records (census records, vital records, deeds….) for your ancestor and you lot still need more data.
At a recent conference you attended, someone recommended yous search for your antecedent(s) in the urban center directories.
What is the city directory and why would y'all utilize one in your genealogy research?
When I starting time heard of using city directories in my genealogy research, I immediately idea of phone books. Yes, phone books are directories, but relatively new in the evolution of city directories.
City directories accept been around for a long time with the first ones in the U.Due south. were published within a couple of years afterward the American Revolution. Directories were initially created by craftsmen and salesmen to contact the local residents and potential customers.
Directories evolved and were frequently created yearly which allows the genealogy researcher to track an ancestor yr by year equally opposed to the demography records tracking individuals decade by decade. Tracking an ancestor twelvemonth by year tin can aid y'all determine when he/she migrated out of an surface area or if their economic situation improved based on a alter of neighborhoods.
The directories also included different types of information from the census records.
Types of Information Institute In City Directories
Based on engagement and location, the type of information in a city directory will vary. Below are examples of types of information potentially constitute in a metropolis directory.
- Names
- Wives names may exist listed in parentheses
- Addresses
- Occupation
- Marital condition (If widowed, the name of the husband)
- Businesses
- Officers and Leadership of Organizations
- Firemen
- Lunatic Asylum
- Educational Institutions
- Secret and Benevolent Societies
1859 Columbia, SC City Directory (Source: Ancestry.com)
- Area maps
- Addresses and locations of schools and places of worship.
I remember you are starting to see just how valuable city directories can be in your research, so let'south take a closer look.
The 1837 Salem, MA directory tells just what information technology has to offer on its title folio: Name of the inhabitants; Occupation, Businesses and Residences; Metropolis officers, etc; Street & Wharves and (my favorite) "Other useful information".
"Other Useful Information" can include maps…..
Newspapers….. A listing of the local newspapers tin potentially be found and particularly useful to the genealogy researcher. In this example from the The Salem Directory, 5 newspapers were in existence and provide 5 potential sources to conduct newspaper research into your ancestors.
And Local Societies…… Notice the Female Auxiliary Moral Society in the example beneath. Yes, city directories can be a source for those elusive female ancestors!
Now let's take a await at following an individual through city census records and see what nosotros can larn about him and his family. In this case, we are post-obit State of israel Lisson through the Rochester, New York urban center directories. In this exert from the 1896 Rochester, NY directory, Israel Lisson is listed, and so we as researchers can place him in time (1896) and identify (Rochester, NY). State of israel'south occupation is listed as a pedler [peddler] and he lives at 38 Nassau. Nosotros can literally place him on the map in 1896.
Coming forward a few years, in 1915 Israel Lisson in still in the Rochester directory.
This time we come across Israel is notwithstanding a pedler [peddler] and is living at 81 Chatham. Again, he is placed in time and identify. Observe the other Lisson family members listed. From other genealogy records we know all but Barnet are Israel's adult children. [I'm nonetheless trying to figure out how Barnet Lisson is related to family unit!]
This terminal directory example (below) I am sharing with y'all is from the 1930 Rochester directory. By this time, Israel is expressionless, simply note his widow Dora is listed. This directory entry tin be used to narrow downwards a death date.
On another note, notice the other Lisson family unit members listed. The married males' wives are listed in parentheses.Directories tin can exist a source for finding an ancestor's spouse!
five Steps to Analyze That City Directory
At present it'due south your turn. You have found the metropolis directory for where your ancestors lived. How practice you go the about out of that valuable resource?
- Make note of the location(southward) included in the directory. Sometimes smaller rural communities may be included in the next larger town's directory.
ii. Examine the Table of Contents. What types of information and lists are included? Included information will vary greatly over time and locations.
3. Learn the abbreviations used in the directory.
4. Start searching for your ancestor(s). As with any record, check multiple spellings for the name. I usually starting time with the general population list, then move on to the societies, businesses or other organization lists.
five. Cheque the "Additions" or "Belatedly Entries". Usually found at the beginning or the finish of the directory are those belatedly additions that just fabricated it in fourth dimension for publication. Don't miss out on finding your ancestor there.
Where To Detect City Directories
Now that I have convinced you lot of the value of researching city directories, let's find them! As with other records, what is available will vary by state and time flow. Cheque out these sources.
- Google books – Here is an example of an Ann Arbor, MI directory. – Observe many Costless online directories.
- The New York Public Library – Free online directories
- Internet Archives –A great resource!
- Hathi Trust Digital Library –Another bully resource!
- Academy Collections – Talk with a reference librarian!
- State and local archives – Check the online and on-site collections.
- Big Databases – Ancestry.com ($), FindMyPast ($) and MyHeritage ($)
- United States Online Historical Directories – Free listing of U.S. directories by state and county. Includes links to both free and paid subscription sites.
- Don'south List – Find a variety of directories both for the Us and other countries.
Your Activeness Item For the Week
Explore what city directories exist for the locations where your ancestors lived. Kickoff searching!
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Pin For Future Reference!
Source: https://lisalisson.com/how-to-use-city-directories-in-your-genealogy-research/
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